did the payment come thru? im curious if it worked out ok

Great to hear everything worked out! This is exactly why I always tell people not to panic when they see status changes on the ESD website. Their system has so many quirks and the statuses don't always reflect what's actually happening behind the scenes. The most important thing is always whether the payment actually arrives, not what the website says. Thanks for updating us - it helps other people who might go through the same thing!

Former ESD employee here. When claims get stuck like this with no visible issues, it's usually one of three things: 1. Identity verification queue - sometimes the system flags accounts for additional identity verification even when documents look correct 2. Employer response issue - your former employer might have contested something or not responded, which puts the claim in a special queue 3. Able and available review - sometimes random claims get selected to verify you're truly available for work None of these will show up under 'Pending Issues' because they're internal review processes. Unfortunately, the only way to resolve is getting through to a claims specialist who can see these internal flags and clear them if appropriate. The WorkSource offices can't directly help with claim issues, but some offices have direct ESD claim specialists onsite certain days of the week. Call your local WorkSource and ask if they have any ESD staff onsite and when. That might be your best bet for in-person help.

Any luck getting through?? I'm still stuck in the same boat and getting desperate!

One more important thing - keep records of when you file your weekly claims! Screenshot the confirmation page or write down confirmation numbers. If there's ever a dispute, you'll need proof that you filed on time.

Summary for anyone just joining: YES, weekly claims must be filed every single week by the Sunday deadline. No exceptions, no making up missed weeks. Set reminders, file early, keep records, and don't listen to people who say you can skip weeks!

One last thought - if anyone else is struggling to get through to Washington ESD about their church employment questions, that Claimyr service at claimyr.com really is worth checking out. Sometimes you just need to actually talk to someone who can look up your specific employer's status instead of guessing.

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I lost my job at a small Lutheran church where I worked as a music director. Like others have said, the key is to file the claim anyway - you might be surprised. In my case, the church had actually opted into the system about 5 years earlier when they hired their first full-time pastor, but nobody on staff knew about it. I only found out when Washington ESD approved my claim. Even if you think there's only a 10% chance, it's worth the 20 minutes to file online. The worst case is you get a denial letter, but the best case is you get the benefits you've earned. Don't let assumptions stop you from trying!

Final thought - keep documenting everything. Take screenshots of your account showing the correspondence issue date, note when you tried to call, etc. If there are any problems later, you'll have proof that you were trying to resolve the issue.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! The correspondence issue date showed up on my account but I waited almost 2 weeks for a letter that never came. Turned out Washington ESD had a backlog in their mail processing system. When I finally got through to them (took forever on the phone), they were able to tell me what the letter was about and even email me a copy. Don't wait too long - if it's been more than 10 business days since that issue date, definitely try to contact them. In my case, it was just a routine request for wage verification, but the delay was stressing me out thinking I'd missed something important.